I'm Living With WHO!
by Reona-chan
Summary: An ordinary girl. An architect, artist; a genius. A music box. These three things are somehow connected. How? Let's say the music box brings the genius to the girl, and adventures happen. Period. ErikOC
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Notes: **OMFGGGGG. A FanFiction! What a rare sight to behold! This time, it's based off of the best movie/opera/book ever, The Phantom of the Opera! (_Le Fantôme de l'Opéra_) Hee-hee, I've been wanting to publish this in forever! Hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I own Erik. –Gets hit in the head with a boot.- Nevermind. I **do **own the Phantom of the Opera! –Is shot.-

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"_I'm looking for something dark, mysterious, something having an unknown past…"_

Rhayne grinned at the saleskeeper after she had said such, and then looked around the junk shop, the grin still plastered on her face.

"You don't happen to have any of _those_, do you?" The girl asked, looking at the saleskeeper with her endless pools of violet.

The saleskeeper blinked, then looked around the shelves, picking up a music box with a monkey on it. "I suppose this should do, am I correct?" She asked, and Rhayne picked it up, looking at it with her wide, violet orbs. "It's pretty! Where'd you get it?" The teenager asked, looking at the older woman with a smile.

"France. I was touring when I found this by a grave of the Countess de Chagny. I'm not sure who she was, though."

Rhayne giggled, then looked at it again. "It's nice! Can I buy it? How much are you offering it for?" The younger of the two asked, her eyes closed to form two small arches on her slightly pale face.

"5 dollars."

"That's _it_?" The girl inquired, her left eyebrow raised. "Yes, I've been meaning to get it away from me. There have been strange occurances ever since I got it," The old lady remarked, shaking her head from side-to-side. Rhayne blinked. "You mean, like a ghost?" She asked, blinking once more.

The old lady nodded, stifling a laugh. "I believe in those things, however I suppose someone like you wouldn't mind it at all. In fact, the strange occurances were related to music. I'd suddenly hear an organ playing, or this amazing tenor voice… I remember almost being hyptonized."

Rhayne laughed as well, before taking out the amount of money necessary to purchase the item. "I suppose this'll do? I'll give you five dollars more than required. I think it's worth much more than a mere five dollars, ma'am!"

The saleskeeper smiled softly, then took the money with her shaking hands. "Bless your heart, girl."

After doing so, the teenager skipped out of the junk shop, the music box in her arms, as she hummed a soft tune.

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"I'm so tired!"

Rhayne plopped onto her bed, her hair sprawled in all directions as she did so, the music box placed firmly on her bedside table. She then rolled over, lying down on a pillow and sighing.

"Gosh… I wonder how I play this thing," She started, picking up the music-creating device, and looking at the top, bottom and sides. Finding the indicated spot, she then turned, and placed the music box back on its place, getting lost in the sheer pleasure of the music.

And soon, she fell asleep, the tune still ringing in her ears, and the cymbals of the animal still tapping against each other in a simple harmony---

_Rhayne blinked, finding herself in a certainly dreary place._

"_Cool…!" The girl exclaimed, wading in the pool of hot water. It was unbearably amazing, this feeling. The hot water calmed her nerves, and she could feel herself floating in it, sleeping. Rhayne then set her feet on solid ground, looking around and taking in the unusual surroundings. She realized there was a desk and walked up to it, seeing numerous masks lined up and sketches scattered across the surface. She picked up one of the sketches, looking at it intently._

_A girl with curly brown locks adorned the piece of paper, a white dress covering her body. She seemed to be smiling, pencil lines spread across the sheet as though it was drawn in a sort of rushed manner. It was __**beautiful**__, and Rhayne couldn't disagree with that fact._

"_**What **__are you doing?"_

_The girl let out a squeak, before placing the piece of paper back where she got it, standing stiffly in her place._

_Hearing footsteps approach her, she closed her eyes tightly, fists clenched and head directed downward._

_A hot breath fell against the back of her neck, and Rhayne could feel an equally hot blush spread across her pale cheeks._

_She gulped, before turning around, and facing a masked boy._

"_Gaah!" She exclaimed, before falling on her bum, and looking up at the figure, who, in turn, quirked an eyebrow._

"_Quite jumpy, now, are we?" He stated, a devilish grin on his slightly tanned face. Rhayne stood up, directing her pointer finger at the boy._

"_Who are you?" She asked, violet hues holding a tad bit of suspicion, as she did not recognize the boy, neither the strange accent he possessed._

"_I am me, and me alone," The male of the two responded, the grin still on his slightly tanned face._

_That was one of the __**stupidest **__things Rhayne had ever heard, but, nonetheless, she accepted such an answer._

"_Okay, so, you are you… Nice name you have there, 'You'," The girl said, looking at the boy with a childish grin._

_This caught the taller one off-guard, and he coughed a tad bit._

_This girl, he could've sworn, could never __**compare **__to Christine! True, she may have beauty, as the singer had, but, Christine was never this, this---_

_How could he put it?_

_Incompetent? Annoying? Sure, he didn't quite mean the fact that he was 'Him', or 'You' or 'Me', for any matter, but he would've thought that the girl would understand his answer._

_This, he swore, was __**annoying**_

"_Alrighty, so why do you live here, 'You'?" Rhayne asked, knocking the Phantom out of his trance._

"_It is none of your concern," He replied bitterly, looking at her with an annoyed glint in his azure hues. Rhayne laughed, "I see. Now, you must be anti-social, or something, right?" She asked, with yet another grin on her face._

_Platinum blond locks rustled in the soft wind, as the boy remained silent._

"_Shut up. My life is none of your business."_

_Rhayne feigned a hurt look, a gasp escaping her lips. "Now, now, boy! Don't be so stubborn!" She stated, as though she were older than said male._

"_Hah, please. Stubborn? I'd like to say the same thing to you, my dear," The male responded, a playful smirk gracing his lips._

"_Why you little---!"_

"Rascal!"

Rhayne blinked, as she shot out of bed, her fist suddenly raised to eye level, and her eyes holding a sort of anger, and annoyance.

"That was the strangest dream…" She whispered, looking at the music box with a relieved smile.

"Dream? Whatever are you talking about?"

And with that said, the girl had screamed and passed out.

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**Author's Notes: **Mmkay, so, like, I finished it. ;D Chapter one. I'm not sure when I'll submit the other chapters though, so, forgive me? I'm still focusing on "A Summer Getaway." XDDD;;


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Notes: **Wow. This is an… Errm… Unnaturally fast update. I can't believe it. Well, I suppose you Erik fans must be rejoicing now… That is, if there _are _any reading this. Erik might seem a little out-of-character here, since I can't really do his personality well yet. Hopefully I'll be able to do so, soon. Wish me luck? Now, here're replies to reviewers, a new feature of my account. XDD;;

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Erik, though I wish I did.

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_**Theresa: **_Ahah, thanks for caring about my life! But, to be honest, I think I don't have one. XD I spend almost all my free time on the computer. I don't even **study**. Anywho, thanks for the compliment! However, I think that maybe the story would go a little downhill… I'm not so good at writing yet. And, I'm still getting used to portraying the most lovable Phantom's personality. Once again, thank you for caring. Also for being the first reviewer! Hooray for you!

_**sailorw:**_ OMFG! Thank you! D: I'm glad you enjoyed the first chapter. And, as I said to Theresa-chan, the story might go downhill at a point in time. I'm sorry if you get disappointed in me! But, you know, I _am_ just eleven. Forgive me. I am only human. Still, thanks a lot for the comment! 33 Oh yeah, you're the second reviewer! Yay you:3

_With Love and With Lipgloss (Even if I don't wear any.),_

_Reona-chan_

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Amethyst hues fluttered open, as the teenager stood up, looking around as though she had seen a ghost.

She _did_, actually.

Rhayne emitted a sigh of relief, seeing as the boy had not stayed, and, most likely, would not return at all. It was unbearably hard to live normally if a person from your dreams would be living in your house, despite all the resisting of the fact that he existed.

"Seems you've awoken, I've been getting bored here. Do you have an organ?"

The girl gulped, before turning her head to the side to face a male, leaning against her wall with his arms crossed across his chest, a bored look evident on his face.

"OH DEAR GOD!" Rhayne screamed, falling off her bed with a loud thump, before scrambling to stand up with wide eyes, her lips pursed in confusion, and a tad bit of frustration. It was _scary_! He was _here_! In her _house_! Leaning on her _**wall**_!

Also, it was infuriating.

Rhayne, sadly, was a bi-polar person, having two personalities. Firstly, she could be the innocent, bubbly, kind Rhayne, as one would have noticed in her last visit with the shopkeeper. And, secondly, she could be angry for no exact reason, a little dim-witted, but nonetheless, outspoken in her own kind of way.

This, at the current moment, was her second personality.

"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE BARGING INTO MY HOUSE LIKE THIS, HUH?!" She screamed, flinging herself towards the boy, who was pushed against the wall harshly.

This caught him as a surprise, as his left eyebrow had been quirked upward. "The Spirit of the Monkey?" He teased, looking down at the shorter girl, who was pounding her fists against his chest, a useless attempt, he thought.

"Shut up! I know you aren't a monkey! Quit lying, bubba! Liars go to hell!" Rhayne retorted, pointing her finger at his nose, and this, Erik knew, was some sort of threat. "I've been to Hell and back, you think I'm afraid of such an empty threat like that?" He asked, now slightly annoyed at the girl's intentions.

Rhayne didn't really mean it, but words flew out of her mouth like so:

"Hah! Hell and back my ass! Tell me, if you've done so, then why aren't you dead, huh?! Why're you here? Alive?! Why do you live in a music box? HOW DID YOU GET HERE?! You afraid? I thought so! So, God help me, ANSWER ME OR **GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!**"

Apartment, she meant, but hadn't really noticed her mistake.

Erik directed a fiery glare at the girl, then pushed her off, causing the female to land on her bum in a harsh manner. "Stop giving me threats as though you know me, you Godforsaken nitwit! What do you know?!" He answered, looking down at her. "What do I know? Don't I have a _right_, to know?!" Rhayne shouted, standing up on her tiptoes as she glared right back at the blond, as though he was a normal person.

"No, you don't! You'll never understand what I've been through," And with that mentioned, the Phantom's anger slowly subsided, as memories suddenly came back to him, seeming to consume his entire being.

"You'll never…" His voice trailed off silently, as tears slowly started to form at the corners of his eyes, "You'll…"

And with that said, he turned away, his fist clenched as he did so, a few teardrops dripping down his cheeks.

Rhayne, taken aback at the sudden response, reached out to the boy to grasp his shoulder, turning him to face her.

She had gone back to personality number one.

"I-I'm sorry… I didn't know…" She whispered, her radiant amethyst hues clashing with his amazing blue ones.

"… Nobody really does…"

Rhayne then embraced the boy, letting his forehead rest on her shoulder as she did so. "You can… Cry on my shoulder, if you… Need to…" She stuttered, not sure on how to react at such a situation.

Erik then started whispering out rants, which gradually grew in volume, before he was screaming out his feelings right there, in front of a complete and total _stranger_.

Rhayne was taken aback once more at how complicated his feelings were, and how he seemed to never be at a loss for words, as though he had been thinking this through the whole of his life, and maybe, even _more_ than the whole of his life. It was saddening, the fact that this boy had been through so much, and yet, had never been shown a certain hint of compassion, at the least.

It was sickening, too.

Rhayne, still unsure of what she was to do, proceeded to rub soothing circles on the taller one's back, biting her lower lip as a nervous person would do, before, maybe, their first recital.

She whispered words that should, in her opinion, ease the pain burdened on the poor male's shoulders. "Ssh…" She would whisper, using one hand to rub his back affectionally, the other to stroke the back of his head, "It's okay. Just… Let it all out."

Yet that same tone of uncertainty still lay in her voice, and Erik noticed such, causing him to pull back suddenly.

Rhayne stared at the boy, blinking as she did so. Erik, wiping some of his tears away, turned to the side, his mask the only thing visible to her, as well as the piercing blue eyes visible through his mask.

"Thank you, and, I suppose, that's enough… I can take care of myself…" He declared in a shaky tone of voice, almost in a whisper.

Rhayne giggled, then slipped her hands to rest at the back of his head.

"Hah, you were just letting your feelings out in front of me, like you knew me for life, you know?" She said, a cheeky grin gracing her features.

Erik blinked at such, then let out a slight laugh, "Yeah, I suppose so."

"So, give me your name!"

"What?"

"You confided your feelings to me, I _should_ know!"

"… I cannot tell you my name, at the moment."

"Why?"

"Too risky."

Rhayne pouted as he said so, then turned so that her back was facing him, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Fine!" She declared, before turning back to face him with a cheerful grin.

"Then I suppose I shall call you _Cookie_!" She exclaimed, the grin never leaving her pretty face.

"… What…?"

"_**Cookie**_! Isn't it cute?"

Erik remained silent under the girl's gaze, looking at her grin with a newfound feeling for her, and that was called _friendliness_, or, he presumed, something close to that.

"… I guess… So…"

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**Author's Notes: **So, how'd you like this chapter? xP I suppose it was sort of rushed, in my opinion. I should be studying for a Math Long Test right now, so, wish me luck! I plan to get perfect, or higher! XDD;;

Really, wish me luck.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Notes: I'm… So terrible… I didn't update in… Forever… -Is washed away by the sea

**Author's Notes: **I'm… So terrible… I didn't update in… Forever… -Is washed away by the sea.-

**Disclaimer: **What would I be writing _this_ for?

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_**sailorsw:**_ Oh. My. Gosh! You're still reading this thing? My gawd I love you. -Gives you a beautiful cookie; with all of Erik's wonderful nickname-ness indulged within it.- And thank you so much for the compliment! Being a graduating, eleven-year-old writer is harder than it looks! –Huff!- People should give me more respect. XD

_**s-burnam: **_Haha. Yes, we all love darling Cookie. I was eating a cookie when I typed that up, and didn't really have anything to end the chapter with. And thank you for the compliment! I, sadly, do not have any written storyline for this; as with all my other fanfiction. Hopefully, this'll end better than I think it will. ;3

_**x-twilight-x:**_ Oh YESS. ;DD Honey, everyone just _wants_ to love him; they're just too shy. He's an angel, after all. –Grins.-

_**Fire's Serenade:**_ I love him too. Care to share him with me? Please? Erik needs a lil' lovin' from everyone, you know. ;3 Of course he needs more love. Why do you think I'm writing this? –Gives you a hug.-

_**NightmarexxQueen:**_ Why thank you. I thought my jokes rather corny. –Giggles like a schoolgirl.-

_With Love and With Lipgloss (Even if I don't wear any.),_

_Reona-chan_

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Erik stood there, blinking as he took in his surroundings. The place was smaller than his home, the furniture and other objects seeming not to have much value at all. They all seemed rather cheap; and it somehow reflected on the girl he was supposedly lodging with. Azure hues widened slightly at the knife that rested on the kitchen counter, and Erik drew back from it, not wanting to murder any unsuspecting victims. Like Rhayne.

Said female had been gone for school for the past four hours. And this was what infuriated the Phantom so much.

He hated being patient. He even hated patient people as a personal rule of his. Now she was making him wait; and he was dying.

Not really finding much to do (he had been standing there in the same position for about three hours and forty-five minutes), Erik rummaged through her drawers. Staring at the belongings inside, he found nothing of interest. Some papers, drawings (stick people, he noticed), and a few empty bottles of orange juice. How she came to forget these items was a mystery to him. He cherished what little belongings he had; if you'd call a whole underground playground 'a few objects'.

Letting a sigh escape his lips, the male moved to walk outside.

Hey, if he was going to live in this boring place for the longest time; he'd prefer to have something to do all the while.

Wait. He couldn't walk out wearing a cloak, a white shirt that somehow broke in the middle, and pants he noticed was not the norm these days.

_**Curses!**_

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_Tap, tap, tap…_

There sat Rhayne, pencil tapping against the desk as she found there was nothing better to do. College was as boring as it was the first week, and she knew that it would not get better soon. She looked out the window, lavender orbs scouring for any unusual looking things. Such as a walking fish. Or maybe a swimming parakeet. The world was a mystery to her these days. She stared, and stared; the Professor seeming to be too preoccupied with the 'blah' (as Rhayne liked to call it) he was teaching.

People walking by, with their friends, talking on the phones; pissing on the walls. Rhayne let out a small, hopeless sigh. There was about nothing as interesting as a cat getting run over by a car. And that was the best thing that happened that day. Her view on the world changed, though, when one person, or perhaps ghost, caught her eye.

And there was none other than 'Cookie', walking through the streets; as though he was one of them.

And the citizens didn't seem to notice!

How _amazing_.

"Professor Kernella!" Rhayne exclaimed, hand shooting up as she feigned a somewhat desperate look. "My stomach's aching… Can I go to the clinic? Please?" And she looked at the woman with her light, purple eyes holding such desperation in them; that the boring teacher (or nerd) had no other choice but to comply.

Walking out, looking as though in pain, but cheering herself mentally, Rhayne closed the door after her, small groans escaping her lips. Now, noticing that her classmates and Professor could not view her with there meager line of sight, she dashed as fast as she could, running down the stairs and nearly tripping in the process.

After a few bumps and apologies, a countless amount of swears that she might have not left enough cookies for Erik to devour or enough water and vodka for him to drink, and three minutes later, Rhayne was out in the bustling street of America. Her lavender optics darted side-to-side, as she searched for the boy she had spotted only moments ago. "Oi! Cookie!" She called, waving a hand as she ran down the sidewalk, where the blond had been staring at a random billboard. Said boy turned his head to face the female, before a small smile appeared on his face (said boy's smile not being able to be noticed save the boy himself.).

Ah; _there_ was the annoying girl who annoyed him to no end with her stories of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, of jellyfish which produced the jelly, of swears that he would push to the back of his mind whenever she mentioned a certain person. Was her name Amy or Annie? Erik had forgotten.

"What is it _now_?" The Phantom said, crossing his arms and letting out a small sigh. Well, at least his clothes were different. He wore a light blue shirt that read: _"Screw peanuts! We've got coconuts!"_; dark blue jeans and a jacket resting on his figure. And where was the trademark mask? Yes, it remained there, hiding what he knew nobody would want to look at anyway.

Rhayne frowned, smacking the young man over the top of his head. Oh; there the other personality was. Erik had missed being able to piss her off with just a few spoken words. "Cookie, I told you not to leave the room!" She chastised him, wagging her finger in front of his face as she said the word _'not'_, as if she was addressing a toddler. Erik waved it off with a hand, his cerulean optics holding some sort of boredom in them.

"You can't just leave me with nothing to do. Drawing, sculpting, as long as I've got something to work with, I'm not leaving that place," The male retorted, his words dripping with calmness. Rhayne's frown intensified, and she smacked him once more, earning no response from the other boy. She was mystified on how he could remain so stoic throughout this on the inside, but on the outside, she knew she would have to be strict, firm.

The bossy bitch-type.

Yeah, that was it.

"I can't leave you with _those_ sort of things! I can't **afford** them!" The girl replied, crossing her arms over her chest, the frown still on her face as she did so. Erik raised an eyebrow, before sighing, rubbing his temples. "Can't **afford** them? I've got a few francs, perhaps it could help," The male responded, the hand used to rub the part of his head now withdrawn to rest in his pocket.

Rhayne emitted a sigh.

"Cookie, the bank here doesn't accept francs," She said, before patting 'Cookie' on the head. Erik flicked her hand off, frowning. "Then I suppose your society isn't as civilized as mine is.. was.." The Phantom trailed off, before shrugging. "Fine. I'll tell my Professor I've fallen ill, and I'll bring you back home, alright, Cookie?" Rhayne placed her hands on her hips, bending over backwards with another sigh. Erik quirked an eyebrow at her behavior, before shrugging once more.

"'Alright' isn't in my dictionary."

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**Author's Notes:** So. Was it worth the wait? I think it wasn't.. XD Anyway! –Runs off to update 'A Summer Getaway'.-

Oh, drop me a review, will you?


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Notes: **Hello my lovely readers. After... four months, I believe, I am back with a new chapter. Rejoice, my friends, rejoice!

**Disclaimer: **Not in a million years.

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_**x-twilight-x: **_Holy shit. You're still reading this, too?! I thought that this fanfiction was kind of stupid, actually. Kekeke. I love you to death. Yes, yes; the Cookie thing was unexpected in my opinion. Even I am not that demented. xD

_**.heart.angel.93: **_You find it amusing? Thank you. I like Rhayne as a character. She's the best one I've ever created, huhu. It's terribly difficult to create interesting original characters. My Math teacher used to be that boring. Now, since I'm a freshman and all, my Math teacher's just strict. Dude. She like... slams her foot on our mini stage so freakin' hard! Just to get us to shut up!

_**sailorsw: **_I love you with all my heart and all my soul for continuing to read this like a loyal reader would. TTTT Anyway. You think I should make a prom chapter someday? Hehe, it'd be fun to type down Erik's attempts to dance.

_**The Musician: **_Ah-some! A new reader! –Tacklehugglomp.- I heart you. ;D

_**The Dark Waltz: **_Well, Erik was given a second chance to live, if you know what I mean. It'll be made clear in future chapters. More or less he's a reincarnation, get it?

I think not. xD Thanks for the comment! And he knows Christine, of course. Just that he has a second chanceee. As I mentioned earlier.

_With Love and With Lip-gloss (Even if I don't wear any.),_

_Reona-chan_

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"Cooookiiieee!"

Erik groaned, covering his face with his palms and trying to move away from the source of that voice. Alas; all his efforts failed him as Rhayne had thrown a pillow towards his chest, causing the male to shout a little and fall onto the floor harshly. He opened his eyes (eye?), directing a steely gaze towards the female who just _loved_ to torture him. Rhayne simply grinned at him, patting him on the head as though he were a canine, and handing him a glass of milk.

"It's snack time! I got you some milk and cookies!" She exclaimed with such glee and vigor that Erik thought it was a little bit cute. He slapped himself, however; to forget about whatever it was he was going to say, be it a compliment or a swear word, both were bad to speak of in the presence of this migraine-inducing female.

"Th-Thank you," Erik mumbled, looking towards the plate of cookies on the table. They were always so good, and (although he would never admit this in person) he couldn't quite resist them at all. He walked over to pick up the confectionaries, examining them first for any trace of bugs or of those sort, before nodding; it had his approval now.

The Phantom bit into it, taking in the pleasure of the chocolate chips, the sweet sugary taste seeming to forever imprint itself onto his tongue. He continued to bite, before it was completely consumed, and drank his glass of milk.

Rhayne, apparently, had been watching him with a happy sort of look. Perhaps she was hoping that he would enjoy it, or compliment her? It was, after all, his third week here. It was only expected for her to want his praise. Besides, it wouldn't hurt to say that they tasted like heaven on a platter, would it?

"So? How do you like it?" The female asked, looking at Erik with a cheerful face. She had been doing this for the past three weeks, too, and was most likely expecting a happy, tear-inducing compliment from the genius.

Erik tried his best.

"It's delicious. It's much better than the things Madame Giry used to give me."

That didn't come out quite right, did it?

Rhayne blinked, her eyebrows furrowing. "What do you mean? Who's Madame Giry?" She asked, poking Erik on the back of his head. She could be such a **pest** sometimes. The male of the two sighed, running his fingers through his platinum-blond locks and spinning around in the chair (he had never imagined there would be chairs that spun like ballerinas in the future!).

"Well... she was the one who took care of me, sort of like a step-mother, if you would like to call her that," He said, using his index finger to tap his arm; his eyes (eye?) closed. Rhayne said a small "ah" in comprehension.

_He didn't have real parents? Wow. Not very surprising, is it? _The female thought to herself and grinned. "Weeeell..." She started, her hands now resting on her hip.

_Just think bossy bitch, Rhayne. Bossy bitch._

"... since you didn't have real parents, you've gotta listen to me now! I'm your new mommy, okay, Cookie?" She said, a smile upon her face.

Erik opened his mouth to retort.

Rhayne promptly raised her middle finger.

And Erik shut up.

"Good. Now," She started, looking at the clock, "since today is Sunday, and you and I have nothing to do, why don't we do something productive, Cookie?"

Rhayne looked at him with a fake smile that practically screamed: _"Listen to me or I'll rip your face off."_

Erik shivered. He never knew that this girl could be so heart-attack inducing. Nonetheless, he complied. It was the least he could do. Then again, first he compliments her, and suddenly starts to listen to her? What the hell was **wrong** with him?

The Phantom stood, looking at her with his steely azure hues.

"I am not, will not, and will _never_ do your bidding, Rhayne!"

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Erik grunted as another jar of peanut butter was placed in the pushcart. He watched as the girl continued to walk along casually, ticking things off her list once they were purchased. She started to skip, and the male had to run a little bit to be able to catch up with her. It was sad that he had gone away from his word.

But Rhayne had a way of making him do whatever the hell she wanted.

That did not include her lovely assets; it simply included that personality of hers that always screamed at him to do whatever she desired. Why couldn't he resist her? Perhaps it was because she was so, well, innocent?

No; those amazing lavender hues of his always did attract his attention. It sent shivers up and down his spine when he thought about it, but it reminded him so much of… _her_.

He didn't mean Christine, oh, no; he wanted to forget all about her. He meant his mother, or whoever had carried him during the first few days of his life. He remembered that loving, warm smile; those beautiful amethyst hues that held so much affection for him. He couldn't recall the last time he had felt loved, but that woman who had carried him in her arms—he was completely convinced that she was the one he had come from.

"Hey, Cookie!" Rhayne exclaimed, holding a medium-sized canvas and a box of oil paints; seeming to be beaming with such happiness that Erik though he would need sunglasses. "I got you those paints you wanted, but the colors you picked were so dark! I thought that maybe you'd need some lighter hues, you know?" She continued, placing the items in the pushcart as well, though separating them from the food items. Food poisoning was something she wanted to avoid.

Erik nodded; as long as he could paint. It would be fine with him.

"I understand. Thank you, however, for putting up with me."

If he was going to live with her, he could at least be polite, right?

Rhayne looked up at him and pouted. "Stop talking so formally. You're with me now, and we're gonna be best friends! Best friends are not formal with each other, okay?" She looked at him with those eyes of hers, and he shivered. "V-Very well," Erik replied, following the girl towards the cash register.

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**Author's Notes: **This is SO short. I'm totally sorry if you guys are disappointed with me. D: I mean.. it's really hard to continue this thing if there isn't really a set plot. I love all of you for reading this, though. It warms my heart from head to toe.

By the way, just for those who read 'A Summer Getaway', I lack ideas. xD Any suggestions? If my next update takes as long as this, please forgive me, too! I have a life.. well, sorta. –grins-

Much love!


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